


big dreams (and small breaks)

by princessoftheworlds



Series: it's (not) all an act [10]
Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dinner, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:15:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28511760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princessoftheworlds/pseuds/princessoftheworlds
Summary: Ianto and Jack have dinner with Rose and the Doctor; the Doctor reveals more of his plans for the movie to Jack.
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones, Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Series: it's (not) all an act [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1927099
Comments: 22
Kudos: 41





	big dreams (and small breaks)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jackdaw816](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jackdaw816/gifts).



> Happy birthday, Zoe! This fic is not exactly what I wanted to write for you and is only a fraction of what you deserve, but it is absolutely what you deserve. I adore you and your chaos and your loving John and all your kitty and doggo pictures, and you - and Alicia - have definitely helped keep me sane during last year. I'm so glad I met you. Beta'ing your fic is a privilege.
> 
> For celeb AU fans, gaaaaaaaah! I'm so sorry for the long, long wait, but school and then writing a bunch of gift and birthday fics got in the way. Thus, I have good news and bad news. The good news? I'm back to continuing this series. The bad news? A fic will only be posted every other week, so I can balance this series with my to build a home series (where Jack's mother falls through the Rift.) So either way, I hope you enjoy this installation and that the new posting schedule doesn't put you off the series!
> 
> Thanks for all the continued support! (Also thanks to CJ for beta'ing; I'm so sorry I forgot to credit you. sadkkasksak)

Ianto reaches forward to rap lightly on the townhouse door, painted a bright blue, Jack vibrating with barely-contained excitement while keeping his grasp on the casserole dish cradled in his arms. Jack’s enthusiasm and beaming smile stand in contrast with the slight dread Ianto feels at the prospect of facing _two_ of Jack’s exes together.

Jack’s been like this, all happy and grinning and walking like he’s floating in the clouds, since his meeting with the Doctor, according to Gwen. The other man’s always been very dramatic and positive since Ianto met him, but Ianto was very much taken aback when Jack called him after the meeting.

(“I have something to tell you,” Jack said, and it sounded like he was smiling widely, his words singsongy and excited. “ _Something big._ ”

“Not even a hello?” Ianto drawled back, but the curiosity had already begun gnawing away at him. “Do tell.”

“I got the role!” Jack pretty much shouted in his ear, and Ianto’s mouth dropped. “They want me as the Captain.”

“That’s brilliant, Jack!” And Ianto found himself grinning widely himself.

“I’m so happy that I could kiss you,” said Jack before he began a very dramatic recounting of the meeting.

_I wish you would,_ Ianto thought but didn’t say. Of course, moments later, the smile slipped from his face as he found out how the director of the movie was and that Ianto was expected for dinner.)

The sound of the door swinging open rockets Ianto into the present just in time to catch a glimpse of Rose Tyler, her hair pulled back into a ponytail and her sweater fuzzy and pastel and totally at odds with the glimmery pop star that most of the world knows her as. 

“Jack, Ianto,” she says kindly, “I’m so glad you made it!”

“Hey, Rose,” Jack says and practically shoves the casserole dish into Ianto’s arms to pull Rose into a hug, pressing a kiss to her head. Ianto rolls his eyes. When they step back, Jack finds himself clutching the casserole dish again.

“Thank you for inviting us, ” Ianto says, smiling politely as he enters her home. 

“Oh, the Doctor pretty much insisted on it,” she tells him, chuckling lightly. Then her eyes land on the casserole dish. “Oh, you didn’t have to, Ianto!”

“I’m afraid I did,” Ianto says. Rose takes the dish from Jack. “It is only polite when invited as dinner guests.”

“I hope Jack didn’t do any of the cooking,” Rose teases, and despite his nerves, Ianto finds himself smiling as Jack protests. Rose has a way of making him feel at ease, which he supposes is why she’s considered a British sweetheart.

“He might have improved in the last few years,” Ianto admits. 

Rose laughs, sweeping her ponytail over her shoulder and ushering them towards the dining room as she shuts the door, the casserole dish elegantly balanced in her arms. “Better than the Doctor, at least. He once suggested frozen fish fingers and custard for dinner.”

Both Jack and Ianto can’t hide their grimaces as they follow Rose.

“That’s certainly an acquired taste,” Ianto replies neutrally. “I prefer my fish fingers with chips...or in a sandwich.”

“ _In a sandwich?_ ” says a sudden voice. 

And suddenly Ianto Jones finds himself face-to-face, well, nose-to-nose rather, considering how closely the other man is peering at him, with the Doctor. He’s wild-haired and dressed in an alarmingly eye-watering pinstriped brown suit. Ianto nearly cringes away but remembers himself in time. The tie is truly horrific, though.

“Hello,” he offers politely. 

“You must be Ianto Jones,” the Doctor drawls, grinning like the Chesire cat. Behind him, Ianto can see Jack watching them apprehensively. “Fish fingers in a sandwich?” The question is posed almost challengingly, the Doctor’s eyes narrowed at Ianto.

“It’s easier and less messy,” Ianto replies, his nose wrinkling. “Don’t have to get your hands too oily.”

The Doctor’s eyes widen. “ _That’s brilliant!_ ” he says excitedly, then slaps Ianto on the back with enough force that Ianto nearly stumbles forward. “Good man.” He bounds off towards the kitchen, Rose smiling and followly. Jack flashes Ianto a grateful smile, and Ianto gets the feeling he genuinely passed a test of some kind.

“What’s for dinner then, Rose?” Jack asks once Rose has uncorked a bottle of wine and poured them all glasses. Ianto sips delicately at his and is pleasantly surprised to find that he actually likes it despite its fruitiness. “Is it Italian?”

Ianto nearly chokes on his wine. When he glances over at Jack, the other man’s eyes are sparkling with mischief.

“Are you alright, Ianto?” Rose asks, her own eyes wide with concern. “Would you like some water?”

He waves her off, glaring at Jack. “I’m fine. Thank you..”

Rose follows his glare and nudges Jack gently. “I hope you’ve been treating Ianto kindly, Harkness. He has a lot to put up with when it comes to you.”

“Hey!” Jack protests. “I’m a very low-maintenance boyfriend.”

The disbelieving chuckles that follow his statement have Jack pouting. Ianto’s fingers itch to put down the wineglass and kiss Jack’s pout away. He shoves that thought into the box labeled _Feelings About Jack Harkness_ in his head. ( _Christ._ He’s screwed, isn’t he?)

“Ianto,” the Doctor says, and Ianto’s attention snaps to him, “has Jack ever told you about the time we snuck into Leela’s mansion for a premiere afterparty?”

“Doctor, no. Please no.” Jack is already shaking his head frantically. “Don’t give Ianto that extra blackmail material.”

“I think I want to hear this now,” Ianto insists, smirking at Jack. 

The Doctor launches into a thrilling tale of three daring Hollywood-hopefuls dressing as catering staff to meet the Oscar-winning actress. Ianto finds himself gaping for almost the entirety of the tale. 

“At the end,” the Doctor says, “not only was Leela’s favorite rosebush on fire but we also couldn’t find Jack.” Jack sighs. “And thus, it turned out Jack had found himself in bed with Leela’s son.”

“He was hot,” Jack says dreamily, and Ianto rolls his eyes.

By the time the Doctor’s tale is concluded, Ianto’s wine has run dry, so he leans forward and pours himself another glass. “I am very glad I knew none of you when you were younger,” he tells the Doctor, Jack, and Rose.

Jack chortles.

* * *

After dinner - some delightfully-seasoned cod with a light sauce and salad, all cooked to perfection by Rose - the Doctor pulls Jack aside, both of them volunteering to fetch dessert. Luckily, it’s a pre-baked pie that just needs a quick pop into the microwave to defrost. The Doctor leans against a cabinet, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Jack feels like he’s being assessed and harkens back to a conversation with Gwen in her own kitchen months ago.

“I have something to tell you, Jack,” the Doctor begins, his entire demeanor oddly serious. His fingers flick at the hems of his sleeves, where threads have already begun to fray and unravel.

“Yeah?” Jack mirrors the Doctor, leaning against the kitchen counter, his gaze stuck on the microwave and its neon green countdown. “Shoot.”

“I’ve begun production meetings to discuss casting,” the Doctor says, and Jack watches him in bewilderment. “Among the names we discussed, Ianto’s has come up. Several times.”

Dumbfounded, Jack only manages, “Oh.” He blinks, mouth suddenly dry.

The Doctor nods. “It is a high likelihood that Ianto will actually end up being cast in the movie alongside you.” A beat. “I just had wanted to warn you in the event that the two of you working on set together might cause either of you concerns.”

“Why would it be a problem?” Jack asks, his voice slightly tight. “Ianto’s my boyfriend; we adore each other. Never mind it being a problem. This is exactly what Ianto deserves.”

_This could be the big break he’s looking for,_ he thinks.

“As long as there will be no problems,” the Doctor says finally, lips curling into a slight smile. “This will be brilliant.” The microwave beeps, and he darts forward to collect the pie, striding back to the dining room. “ _Allons-y!_ And bring the forks, won’t you?”

Rolling his eyes, and still feeling knocked askew, Jack pulls a drawer open and grabs a handful of forks. At the dining table, Rose is already slicing into the pie, joking with Ianto, who has cracked that wide, perfect smile Jack has pretty much come to adore. 

“Oi,” he jokes. “You two talking about me?”

The Doctor, busy pouring himself a drink at the sidebar on the other side of the dining room, snorts. “That’s your problem, Jack. You presume that everyone is always talking about you.”

Jack casts wide blue eyes at the Doctor. “Are you saying they don’t?”

Shaking his head, Ianto says, “Sit down, Jack.” His eyes have lit up with amusement, which touches Jack’s chest with warmth to know he is the cause of.

His heart flutters slightly as he sits down beside Ianto. “Rose,” he says cheerily. “Cut me a slice of that pie!”

She tosses her head back and laughs but still pushes a plate of heaping pie towards Jack. “It’s from a bakery down the street that the Doctor adores. He stops by there almost every morning to pick up a pastry.”

“They make excellent apple tarts!” the Doctor adds enthusiastically, seated again now. “Rose prefers their cookies.”

“He buys me one every morning,” Rose says, looking completely besotted with the Doctor. Jack tries to be discreet in his glances towards Ianto, but Ianto is already looking his direction. Their eyes meet, and Jack feels a sudden spark of warmth. 

He has to look away, but it doesn’t stop the ember of hope, burning low and bright in the centre of his chest.

* * *

Yvonne watches Jack critically, and he suppresses a shiver. She had always felt more like a predator than an agent to him, and it was never more obvious than when they were discussing Ianto. Finally, she asks, “Are you sure? Are you completely sure that’s what the Doctor said?”

Jack rubs his upper arms, cold despite the air conditioning in Yvonne’s office being set to low. “I told you almost exactly what he said.” He adopts an English accent similar to the Doctor’s. “ _It is a high likelihood that Ianto will actually end up being cast in the movie alongside you._ ”

She drums her fingers against the smooth wood of her desk, deep in thought. “And he said nothing else?”

He sighs. “Again, what do you want from me, Hartman? It was a five-minute conversation. That is _all_ he said.”

Yvonne’s eyes narrow. Gwen cuts in quickly, likely in an attempt to preserve the civility of their meeting, asking, “Isn’t this a good thing? This is exactly what we wanted, what we were hoping to get out of this deal! A role, however minor, in a movie like this could bring Ianto some serious exposure.” A beat. “This is good. _Really good._ ”

“Yes,” Yvonne begins, “but that is only _if_ he gets the role.” Before Jack can retort that Ianto _can_ and _will_ get the role, she continues, “A promise is not the same as a signed contract. He will likely have to audition several times, and there will be quite a lot of competition. The Doctor is well-known for his indie films; many actors will be clamoring to work with him.” 

“Then what am I supposed to do?” Jack asks, tone slightly pleading. “Keep mum? On news this big?”

“That’s exactly what you’ll do,” Yvonne tells him bluntly. “Ianto is not to get word that he’s being considered for the role until there is certain confirmation or he gets an audition.”

“But what next?” Gwen inquires. “Say Ianto gets the role. What are our next steps? The boys will certainly have to keep the pretense of their relationship up. It would be bad publicity for them to ‘break up’ _before_ or _during_ filming.”

“That is true,” Yvonne says. She frowns lightly. “At this current stage, we cannot afford any kind of fake relationship drama.” She nods, likely coming to a conclusion in her mind. “We will have to continue what we have been doing. The dates, the press appearances.”

“Those aren’t really any hardships,” Jack says distractedly. “Should be fine.”

He’s already thinking about the prospect of fake-dating Ianto Jones for longer, of the intimate look Ianto had given him last night at dinner, the easy familiarity with which they interact with each other.

It would be a lot easier, he thought, if he could just date Ianto properly.

It was only once he put what he wanted into words that the panic set in.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr [here](http://princess-of-the-worlds.tumblr.com/) or on Twitter [here](https://twitter.com/rajkumarinik). I tweet and reblog mostly Torchwood with occasionally amusing commentary on nonsense. Please come talk to me and tell me if/how much you like my fic or like ask me about it on tumblr; all my schoolwork has become remote now, and I have limited social interaction. 
> 
> And if you have any future ideas for this verse or something you'd like to see, drop it in the comments!
> 
> No, I quite mean it. I'm trying to plot the rest of this verse ahahahahha. Like literally, anything goes.


End file.
